Midsummer's Peak with Family
by Inanis Incedeco
Summary: It's a Dalish holiday, and Merrill needs to celebrate. Fluffy Lesbian love.


_Author's Note: Was done as a prompt: "Holidays and happiness"_

 _So I did a summer solstice thing, since I love the midsummer, and the solstice is tomorrow (Merry Litha to any Wiccans)._

 _If you want to prompt me with anything, feel free to leave_ _a review_ _,_ _send me a PM_ _or_ _search for 'greyassassin24' on Tumblr_ _and click on the 'prompts' tab._

Hawke unlocked her door, and was immediately met by a myriad of smells directly from the entryway in her manor.

"Merrill?" She called, stepping into the house and closing the door behind her. It smelled like burning, but also something earthly and sweet, warm rosemary and honey. "Mom? Bodahn?"

Past the entryway, she followed the smells into the kitchen. Inside was Merrill, wearing her typical silk shirt with brown pants, stirring furiously with a long wooden spoon at a bowl.

"Merrill?"

The elf girl jumped, dropping the spoon, and turned. "Ma vhenan!" She cried happily, a smile breaking out like wildfire across her face. She skipped forward, throwing her arms around Hawke's neck.

Pulling away, she kissed Hawke on the nose. "Where were you all morning? I woke up and you weren't in bed next to me."

Hawke smiled, and nuzzled her elf's neck. "Sorry love. I had to wake up early to go and deal with some nobility this morning." She released Merrill, drinking in her lover's infectious smile. "So what are you doing?"

Merrill giggled, and took Hawke by the hand, leading her over to her cooking. "It's a Dalish holiday today, the midway point of Summer, so I'm making some traditional food in preparation."

"Oh yeah?" Hawke laughed, kissing her lover's ear. "So what are you making then?"

"Well," She said, standing over the table. "It's... I was never terribly good at cooking, so I've had to try some of these a couple of times. I've been trying to make some traditional Butter Bread, and a honey cake, and," She picked up some flowers from the table. "Your Elder Flowers were blooming, so I thought I would pick them."

Hawke reached her hand down, and slid a single flower from Merrill's hand. Moving it up, she planted it in her elf's hair, making Merrill giggle. "Now it's perfect." Merrill leaned up and kissed her. "Now, tell me what I can do to help."

"Oh no, no." Merrill exclaimed, waving her hands up. "I don't expect you to help. You aren't Dalish, I know that you don't believe in the Creators, so I don't expect you to help me celebrate."

"You," Hawke giggled, kissing her elf. "Don't know me at all. I love you so much, and I am absolutely willing to help you celebrate. You celebrate human holidays after all, I think this is only fair, at the very least."

"Well, o-okay." Merrill stammered with a flattered blush painting her beautiful cheekbones. "If you're sure. I still need to boil my honey mix if you want to do that."

"Giving the heathen the easy job?" Hawke teased, walking to the mix. "So tell me: does this holiday include ritual sex like the other ones you've celebrated?"

"Um..." Merrill stuttered nervously. "I, um...yes?"

Hawke laughed at the clear lie. "I'll just have to take your word for it, then."

 **Later, that night**

Hawke took another sip of her wine. Merrill had insisted that cake and wine were tradition, and Hawke had little objection to either. Merrill was tending to a pile of wood that Hawke had gathered, preparing it to be a fire.

She turned to her Leandra, who was sitting next to her, and smiled. "Thank you for putting up with us." She whispered to her mother.

"Why?" Leandra asked, her eyes crinkling happily, but confused.

"Just... for everything." Hawke ran a hand through her hair. "I know it's never been easy to accept that I... don't care for the company of men, and... well, I know it's unusual to be with an elf, but you've always been there for me, and her, and I want you to know that I appreciate it."

Leandra smiled, and hugged Hawke closely. "You're my daughter, and I love you. Whatever comes, whoever you are with, whatever you do, that will never change."

Hawke hugged her back as tightly as she could.

"Alright, everything's ready." Merrill said, turning, and they returned their attention to the elf girl. Using a tiny bit of fire magic, she turned to oak wood into an inferno.

The flame immediately put a smile to Hawke's face, dissolving the chill of the summer night, and Merrill sat beside her, cuddling into her lover's side. The bonfire raged into the night's sky, a stark mark against the dark. Hawke could practically hear her neighbour's disapproving tuts already, and couldn't find a single reason to care.

She wrapped Merrill in her arms, and kiss her little ear tip, holding her firmly to her breast. Tonight wasn't a night for disapproval, or hatred. According to Merrill, today was a day for love and family, when the Dalish celebrated having lived to another year with everyone they loved.

And with the love of her life on one side, and her mother on the other, Hawke felt like the luckiest woman in Thedas.


End file.
